Stanley Clarke

<PRE> Stanley Clarke Larry Carlton Billy Cobham Deron Johnson Najee LIVE AT THE GREEK A new album from any one of them would be a significant moment in jazz and pop music. So when bassist Stanley Clarke, guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Billy Cobham, keyboards player Deron Johnson, and saxophonist/flutist Najee joined together as the Jazz Explosion Superband, it made for an unforgettable night at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Now their performance is available for the whole world to hear as Live At The Greek, a new album on Slamm Dunk/Epic Records. About The Music "Minute By Minute" In 1987, Larry Carlton transformed this 1979 Doobie Brothers into a Grammy-winning pop instrumental performance. His sunny mid- tempo arrangement establishes the album's unmistakable mood of musical communi- cation, and serves as an enticing introduction to the show which ensues. "Stratus" This Billy Cobham song kicks off with his powerful drum intro before the four voice instruments join together on the tune's unison melody. Najee con- tributes an outstanding tenor sax solo, weaving in and out of the Clarke/Cobham funk rhythm and Deron Johnson's deft keyboard comping. Larry Carlton unleashes a stinging, swirling solo before a furious drum barrage guides the song to its explosive finish. "Buenos Aires" Najee shines again on tenor at the forefront of his own bossa nova-flavored composition, his lyrical horn giving way to a flawlessly constructed Cobham drum solo. "All Blues" The Miles Davis/Kind Of Blue classic is updated for the '90s, begin- ning with Stanley Clarke's indelible bass lines and Najee's delicate flute lines. Cobham's brush work is the height of percussive sensitivity, deftly supporting solos by Larry Carlton and Deron Johnson. They give way to an extended Clarke workout, then Carlton and Najee gently trade fours as "All Blues" comes to a close. "Good-bye Pork Pie Hat" The Charles Mingus composition honoring Lester Young is delivered with an air of mourning and majesty. Stanley and Najee introduce the theme over Deron Johnson's synthesizer chords. Cobham picks up the tempo as Larry Carlton offers up a scorching solo turn, steeped in the feeling of the blues. Clarke returns for a thoughtful solo of his own, gathering speed and complexity as he goes. "Her Favorite Song" Written by Larry Carlton, this beautiful ballad is an unaccompanied feature for some of the guitarist's most soulful and sensitive playing on Live At The Greek. "School Days" This rendition of the title track from Stanley Clarke's best-selling 1976 album begins with a gutbucket bass-and-guitar blues motif: Stanley's bass-as-lead-guitar solo brings the Greek Theater audience to a peak of excitement. Then Clarke's supreme technical command and sense of musical humor combine with Billy Cobham's locomotive press rolls and killer cymbal work in a mind- bending bass/drums exchange. Deron Johnson and Larry Carlton re-enter, the latter delivering a storming blues-rock solo followed by Johnson's intergalactic keyboard explorations. About The Players One of the most celebrated bass players in the world today, Stanley Clarke's career accolades include a Grammy Award (for the 1975 album No Mystery, with Return To Forever), seven Grammy nominations, three Emmy nominations, and a Rolling Stone award for "Jazz Man Of The Year." Stanley's solo career began in 1973 with the album Children Of Forever; he has since released twelve acclaimed albums on Epic Records, including his latest, 1993's East River Drive. Clarke has composed music for more than a dozen feature films, including What's Love Got To Do With It, Poetic Justice, Boyz N The Hood, and The Five Heartbeats. Larry Carlton's distinctive guitar playing has made him one of the most in-demand studio players of the past two decades. The Southern California native recorded With A Little Help From My Friends, his first album as a leader, in 1968; his 1993 release Renegade Gentleman (GRP Records) was Larry's 14th solo project. A severely abbreviated list of Carlton career high points would include his playing on Joni Mitchell's Court And Spark and Steely Dan's The Royal Scam; his 13-album association with the Crusaders; and his two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, in 1981 ( for "The Theme From 'Hill Street Blues'") and 1987 (for his single recording "Minute By Minute"). Billy Cobham has traveled the world of music for over 30 years, leading his own groups and performing with diverse artists from Horace Silver to Santana. Born in Panama and raised in New York City, he made his recording debut in 1968 on George Benson's Giblet Gravy. As a founding member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cobham ignited three albums with his uncanny blend of physical power, musical sensitivity and technical prowess. In the 1970s, he went on to create a series of classic solo albums including Spectrum, Crosswinds, and Total Eclipse. A resident of Zurich, Switzerland since 1980, Billy Cobham has continued his solo recording career in addition to working with Peter Gabriel, Bob Weir (of the Grateful Dead), the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the West African percus- sion ensemble Farafina. Deron Johnson was born and raised in Los Angeles. The youngest member of this all-star aggregation, Deron formerly played keyboards with Miles Davis' last band, recording and touring with the master in his final years. Stanley Clarke calls Deron Johnson "truly one of the most naturally gifted musicians that I've ever played with. My favorite moments on this tour occurred when he would play his solo on 'School Days.'" Saxophonist and flutist Najee is one of America's foremost pop-jazz instrumentalists. The New York City native worked with r&b acts like Ben E. King and the Main Ingredient while still in his teens; he later attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and played in the big bands of George Russell and Jaki Byard. Najee's Theme, his debut album, was released in 1986 and soon certified gold; it was followed by two more best-sellers, Day By Day (1988) and Tokyo Blue (1990). Najee's fourth album, Just An Illusion (1992), featured vocal performances by Freddie Jackson ("All I'll Ever Ask"), Jeffrey Osborne ("Loving Every Moment") and Will Downing (on "Deep Inside Your Love") along with Najee's hit instrumental rendition of Color Me Badd's "I Adore Mi Amor." </PRE>  <HR align='center' width='50%'> <B>Your browser does not support frames!</B><BR><BR> Some of the features on this site require a frames-capable browser, since much of the functionality would be impossible without frames. 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